A 


SERMON, 


DELIVERED  BEFORE  THE 


PALESTINE  MISSIONARY  SOCIETY, 


AT  THEIR 


THIRTY-FIRST  ANNUAL  MEETING, 


HELD  AT  RANDOLPH,  MASS.,  JUNE  18,  1851, 


BY  JAMES  P.  TERRY, 

Pastor  of  the  Second  Congregational  Church  in  Weymouth, 


BOSTON: 

PRESS  OF  T.  R.  MARVIN,  42  CONGRESS  STREET. 

1851. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 


https://archive.org/details/sermondeliveredbOOterr 


SERMON. 


JOHN  hi.  16.  — 1 JOHN  v.  19. 

FOR  GOD  SO  LOVED  THE  WORLD,  THAT  HE  GAVE  HIS  ONLY-BEGOTTEN  SON,  THAT 
WHOSOEVER  BELIE VETH  IN  HIM  SHOULD  NOT  PERISH,  BUT  HAVE  EVERLAST- 
ING LIFE. 

AND  THE  WHOLE  WORLD  LIETH  IN  WICKEDNESS. 

That  the  Almighty  should  devise  and  execute  a 
scheme  for  man’s  rescue,  displaying,  beyond  all  his 
other  works,  his  infinite  perfections,  and  adequate 
in  its  provisions  to  the  moral  necessities  of  the  whole 
human  family ; and  yet,  that  after  so  long  a time 
since  it  was  announced  to  the  world  as  “ finished,” 
it  should  be  not  only  unavailing,  but  even  unknown 
to  the  greater  part  of  those  for  whom  it  was  designed, 
is  a matter  which  has  often  exercised,  if  not  per- 
plexed the  mind  of  the  thoughtful  Christian.  He 
believes  that  this  scheme,  on  which  God  has,  for 
aught  that  appears,  exhausted  his  attributes,  con- 
tains all  that  is  necessarv  to  elevate  the  entire  race 

J 

from  its  deep  degradation,  to  the  glory  and  felicity 
of  heaven  ; yet  he  cannot  hide  from  his  eyes  the 
painful  fact,  that  its  ample  provisions  are  lost  as  to 
the  greater  part  of  those  who  need  them  ; that  even 
now,  almost  “ the  whole  world  lieth  in  wicked- 


4 


ness  ; ” that  much  the  largest  portion  of  mankind 
are  filling  up  the  measure  of  their  iniquities,  and 
will  descend  into  the  fire  that  never  shall  be 
quenched,  without  its  ever  having  been  announced 
in  their  hearing,  that  44  God  so  loved  the  world  that 
he  gave  his  only- begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlast- 
ing life.”  Why  is  it  so  ? he  asks.  Why,  at  the  end 
of  eighteen  centuries  since  the  death  of  Christ,  is 
the  knowledge  of  his  death  confined  to  so  small  a 
portion  of  those  for  whom  he  suffered  ? It  is  my 
purpose  to  answer  this  inquiry.  I shall  first  speak 
of  the  fact  of  the  limited  spread  of  Christianity,  and 
then  consider  some  reasons  for  it. 

I.  The  fact  itself.  Statistics  on  this  subject  are 
truly  appalling.  They  show  that  of  the  ten  hundred 
millions  that  now  people  our  world,  more  than  six 
hundred  millions  are  heathens  ; that  one  hundred 
millions  are  Mohammedans  ; and  that,  of  the  remain- 
ing three  hundred  millions,  two-thirds,  though  nom- 
inally Christians,  are  yet  so  far  removed  in  their 
belief  and  practice  from  the  doctrines  and  duties  of 
the  religion  of  Christ,  that  as  a means  of  salvation 
the  gospel  is  of  hardly  any  more  advantage  to  them 
than  it  is  to  the  heathen. 

Scarcely  less  appalling  is  the  map  of  the  earth  in 
its  representations.  It  shows  us,  that  of  the  fifty 
millions  of  square  miles  contained  in  the  land  sur- 
face of  the  globe,  upon  more  than  thirty  millions 
it  is  unknown  that  the  Son  of  God  ever  trod  this 
earth ; and  that  not  more  than  five  millions  are 
occupied  by  those  who  generally  embrace  the 


5 


Protestant  religion; — that  of  the  entire  eastern  con- 
tinent,  less  than  one-thirtieth  part  is  occupied  by 
evangelical  sects,  while  nine-tenths  of  it  are  in  the 
possession  of  heathens  or  Mohammedans.  It  exhibits 
the  three  grand  divisions  of  the  earth,  Asia,  Africa, 
and  Oceanica,  embracing  more  than  three-fifths  of 
all  the  land  upon  the  globe,  as  covered  with  clouds 
of  midnight  darkness,  through  which  no  ray  of  light 
penetrates,  save  over  those  few  spots  where  the 
altars  of  Christianity  have  been  erected  by  the  mis- 
sionaries of  the  cross.  Nothing  presents  a more 
affecting  view  of  the  moral  condition  of  our  world 
than  a missionary  map  exhibiting  the  relative  size 
of  its  enlightened  and  unenlightened  portions.  The 
few  luminous  spots  are  to  the  surrounding  darkness 
but  little  more  than  the  beacon  lights  that  glimmer 
here  and  there  on  the  shores  of  the  ocean,  to  the 
wide  waste  of  water  that  lies  between  them. 

But  could  we  see  the  reality  of  what  is  thus  rep- 
resented to  us ; — could  we,  like  the  angel  having 
the  everlasting  gospel  to  preach  to  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earth,  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven  and  visit 
every  nation  and  kindred  and  tongue  and  people  ; — 
could  we  look  down  upon  the  350,000,000  of  China 
prostrate  three  times  a day  before  their  tutelary 
deities  ; — could  we  see  the  sensual  Hindoos  in  the 
act  of  offering  their  blind  adoration  to  their  myriads 
of  gods — the  representations  and  patrons  of  what- 
ever is  ridiculous,  obscene  and  cruel ; — could  we 
gaze  upon  the  disgusting  and  horrid  features  of 
human  depravity,  as  they  stand  out  frightfully  dis- 
tinct, in  the  treachery  and  ferocity  of  the  Malays, 
and  in  the  sottishness  of  the  Hottentots  ; in  the 


6 


infanticide  of  China,  and  in  the  cannabalism  of 
Fejee; — in  all  the  vices  and  crimes,  the  deeds  of 
cruelty,  pollution  and  shame,  which  in  a greater  or 
less  degree  characterize  every  unevangelized  nation ; 
— could  we  thus  make  the  circuit  of  our  globe,  and 
survey  these  600,000,000  of  heathen  in  all  their 
degradation  and  sin,  we  should  obtain  an  impression 
of  the  moral  desolation  of  our  world,  such  as  no 
representation  of  figures  nor  exhibition  of  maps  can 
make ; and  we  should  understand,  as  never  before, 
the  import  of  the  Apostle’s  declaration,  The  whole 
world  lieth  in  wickedness. 

II.  We  are  now  to  consider  the  reasons  for  this 
fact.  Why  is  so  large  a portion  of  the  earth  yet 
unevangelized  ? 

1.  Is  it  because  the  work  of  its  entire  evangeliza- 
tion is  in  its  nature  impracticable  ? 

It  is  unquestionably  a difficult  work.  The  obsta- 
cles to  the  conversion  of  the  heathen,  arising  from 
their  religious  prejudices,  their  mental  and  moral 
habits,  and  their  social  and  civil  condition,  are  truly 
formidable.  To  persuade  a people  to  abandon  as 
false,  a religion  which  has  come  down  to  them  from 
remote  antiquity,  the  religion  in  which  they  were 
educated,  by  which  all  their  habits  have  been  formed, 
and  with  which  all  their  recollections  are  associated  ; 
a religion,  too,  which  is  congenial  to  their  corrupt 
hearts,  and  which  fosters  their  natural  desires  and 
passions, — and  receive  in  its  stead,  one  that  is  totally 
opposed,  in  its  spirit  and  requirements,  to  their 
inclinations,  their  prejudices,  their  habits, — is  a work 


7 


which  must  be  undertaken , in  order  that  the  real 
difficulty  of  it  be  understood. 

Yet,  difficult  as  it  unquestionably  is,  it  is  not 
impracticable.  For,  (a)  in  the  first  place,  just  such 
obstacles  as  now  hinder  the  conversion  of  the 
nations,  have  been  overcome.  Difficulties  as  formi- 
dable as  those  which  exist  in  the  stupidity  of  the 
African,  in  the  ferocity  of  the  Battas,  in  the  pride 
and  prejudice  of  the  Chinese,  in  the  superstition  and 
jealousy  of  the  Japanese,  have  again  and  again  been 
surmounted.  Put  together  all  the  difficulties  that 
can  be  conceived  to  arise  from  the  most  fascinating 
idolatry,  the  most  inveterate  prejudice,  the  most 
savage  cruelty,  and  the  most  beastly  sensuality ; 
and  they  can  be  matched  by  difficulties  which  Chris- 
tianity overcame  when  she  vanquished  the  splendid 
idolatry  of  Greece  and  Rome,  tamed  the  fierce  bar- 
barity of  the  ancient  Britons,  and  raised  from  the 
lowest  degradation  the  modern  Sandwich  Islanders. 
Neither  the  depravity  of  man,  nor  unfriendliness  of 
climate,  presents  any  obstacle  which  Christianity 
has  not,  at  one  time  or  another,  successfully  encoun- 
tered. There  cannot  be  found  any  soil  more  barren 
than  that  in  which  it  has  taken  root ; no  clime  more 
uncongenial  than  that  in  which  it  has  extended 
wide  its  branches.  There  are  no  hearts  harder 
than  thousands  which  it  has  subdued ; and  bitterer 
enemies  can  never  rise  up  against  it,  than  such  as 
have  fallen  before  it.  Satan  cannot  defend  his 
kingdom  with  walls  higher,  broader  and  more  ada- 
mantine, than  those  which  Christianity  has  many 
times  laid  level  with  the  ground.  So  that,  were  the 
religion  of  Christ  now  to  extend  its  triumphs  “ from 


8 


sea  to  sea,  and  from  the  river  even  to  the  ends  of 
the  earth,”  it  would  encounter  no  new  form  of  diffi- 
culty, nor  achieve  any  new  kind  of  conquest.  Its 
victories  would  be  only  a repetition  of  those  already 
gained.  But  what  has  been  done,  may  be  done 
again.  Obstacles  that  have  been  surmounted,  are 
not  insuperable.  As,  therefore,  the  conversion  of 
the  world  involves  no  greater  difficulties,  essentially, 
than  have  already  been  overcome,  it  is  not  imprac- 
ticable. 

(b)  And  this  is  further  evident  from  the  predic- 
tions of  the  Bible.  “ All  the  ends  of  the  earth  shall 
remember  and  turn  unto  the  Lord,  and  all  the 
kindreds  of  the  nations  shall  serve  him.”  “For 
from  the  rising  of  the  sun,  even  to  the  going  down 
of  the  same,  my  name  shall  be  great  among  the 
Gentiles  ; and  in  every  place  incense  shall  be  offered 
and  a pure  offering.”  “ The  kingdoms  of  this 
world  shall  become  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord  and 
his  Christ.”  These  and  other  inspired  predictions 
place  the  final  spread  of  the  gospel  over  the  whole 
earth  beyond  a doubt.  But  these  predictions  can 
be  fulfilled  only  by  the  removal  of  just  such  obsta- 
cles as  now  hinder  the  work  of  the  world’s  evan- 
gelization. These  obstacles,  then,  are  not  insuper- 
able. To  affirm  that  they  are,  is  to  deny  the  verity 
of  God’s  word. 

(c)  And  further,  when  we  consider  this  work  in 
relation  to  the  power  of  him  who  has  undertaken  it, 
we  cannot  doubt  its  practicability,  without  doubting 
whether  God  is  omnipotent.  It  is  God’s  work  ; 
and  though  committed  to  human  hands,  it  is  carried 
forward  by  divine  power.  But  “ is  any  thing  too 


9 


hard  for  the  Lord  ? ” Has  he  not  only  predicted , 
but  actually  undertaken  the  accomplishment  of  a 
work  which  is  really  impracticable  ? But  if  the 
work  is  not  impracticable,  then  it  must  be  for  some 
other  reason  that  it  is  not  accomplished. 

2.  Is  it  because  the  church  has  not  possessed  the 
means  necessary  for  its  accomplishment  ? The 
ability  of  the  church  to  perform,  instrumentally,  the 
work  assigned  her,  consists  in  her  men  and  money. 
And  is  it  for  want  of  either  or  both  of  these  that  the 
work  is  yet  unfinished  ? 

Is  it  for  want  of  men?  How  many  men  did 
Christ,  at  his  ascension,  leave  on  earth  under  com- 
mission to  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature  ? 
The  little  band  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  disciples, 
assembled  in  an  upper  chamber  at  Jerusalem  to 
receive  the  baptism  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  comprised, 
if  not  the  whole  numerical  strength,  nearly  or  quite 
all  the  moral  power  of  the  Christian  church.  But 
small  as  was  their  number,  they  went  forth  to  exe- 
cute their  high  commission,  and  actually  became 
witnesses  for  the  Lord,  “ both  in  Jerusalem,  and  in 
all  Judea,  and  in  Samaria,  and  to  the  uttermost  part 
of  the  earth.”  Those  few  individuals  succeeded  in 
publishing  the  gospel  throughout  the  whole  civilized 
world.  And  if  so  small  a number  could,  at  the  very 
outset  of  the  Christian  religion,  proclaim  its  doc- 
trines over  so  large  a portion  of  the  earth,  could  not 
the  still  greater  number  converted  through  their 
instrumentality,  have  extended  the  knowledge  of 
these  doctrines  still  farther.  And  had  the  continu- 
ally increasing  number  of  converts  to  Christ  been 
fired  with  apostolic  zeal,  need  many  generations 


10 


have  passed  away  before  all  the  tribes  and  families 
of  the  earth  should  have  seen  the  salvation  of  God  ? 
Surely,  it  was  not  for  wTant  of  numbers  in  the 
church,  that  the  work,  commenced,  and  carried  so 
far  towards  its  completion,  by  the  little  band  that 
went  out  from  Jerusalem,  was  not  finished  at  an 
early  period  in  her  history. 

And  if,  at  any  subsequent  time,  the  church  has 
so  dwindled  away,  as  to  lack  sufficient  numerical 
strength  to  evangelize  the  world,  she  certainly  is 
not  in  such  a state  now,  nor  has  she  been  for  cen- 
turies past.  Had  all  who  have  been  members  of 
Protestant  churches  during  the  last  half  century , 
devoted  themselves  to  the  work  of  missions  with 
the  zeal  of  a Paul,  an  Eliot,  or  a Martyn,  would 
there  have  been  to-day  any  tribe  or  family,  to  whom 
the  gospel  offer  had  not  been  made  ? And  were 
the  eighty  thousand  Protestant  ministers  of  the 
present  day,  and  the  many  times  greater  number 
of  pious  laymen,  qualified  to  aid  in  the  missionary 
work,  now  to  disperse  themselves  among  the  hea- 
then, and  labor  for  their  evangelization  with  the 
assiduity  and  self-denial  which  worldly  men  exhibit 
in  the  accomplishment  of  their  enterprises,  would 
even  the  present  generation  pass  away  before  the 
gospel  would  be  published  to  the  ends  of  the 
earth  ? 

When  we  look  at  the  actual  results  of  many  an 
individual’s  labors  in  the  work  of  evangelization, 
and  remember  that  there  are  in  the  church  many 
thousands  capable  of  effecting  similar  results,  we 
cannot  for  a moment  admit  that  it  is  for  want  of 
numbers  merely,  that  the  church  has  failed  to 


11 


accomplish  her  work.  Were  all,  or  even  half  of 
those  who  have  by  profession  consecrated  them- 
selves to  Christ,  to  accomplish  a tenth  or  a hun- 
dredth part  as  much  as  has  been  accomplished  by  a 
Schwartz,  a Carey,  a Brainerd,  or  as  thousands  of 
less  note  have  individually  accomplished,  the  stand- 
ard of  the  cross  would  speedily  be  raised  in  every 
part  of  the  habitable  earth. 

Is  it  because  the  church  could  not  command 
money  enough  to  send  abroad  and  support  her  men, 
that  the  world  is  not  evangelized  ? When  was  the 
church  more  destitute  of  wealth  than  in  her  infancy  ? 
And  if,  with  all  her  poverty,  she  could  support  mis- 
sionaries enough  to  preach  the  gospel  throughout 
the  civilized  world,  can  it  be,  that  with  her  present 
abounding  wealth  she  is  wanting  in  pecuniary 
ability  to  evangelize  the  heathen  ? She  has  given 
much ; but  has  she  given  according  to  her  ability  ? 
Some  there  are,  who,  like  the  poor  widow,  have 
given  all  their  living  ; but  the  most,  if  they  have 
given  at  all,  have  given  of  their  abundance.  Their 
gifts  have  cost  them  no  self-denial,  subjected  them 
to  no  inconvenience.  And  yet,  by  means  of  these 
charities,  the  mere  crumbs  which  have  fallen  from 
the  tables  of  God’s  people  during  the  last  fifty 
years,  three  thousand  schools  have  been  estab- 
lished, in  which  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
children  have  been  instructed ; the  Bible  has 
been  translated  into  two  hundred  languages ; 
“ four  thousand  churches  have  been  built,  and  two 
thousand  ordained  ministers,  and  more  than  seven 
thousand  lay  preachers  and  catechists  have  been 
sent  forth  among  the  heathen.”  And  if  so  much 


12 


has  been  accomplished  by  what  has  cost  so  little, 
what  might  not  the  church  have  done  during  this 
time,  had  all  her  members  acted  like  the  early 
Christians,  on  the  principle  that  none  of  the  things 
which  they  possessed  were  their  own,  and  as  faith- 
ful stewards  made  such  use  of  their  Lord’s  goods 
as  would  best  promote  his  cause  ? Had  the  Chris- 
tians of  America,  during  the  thirty  years  in  which 
they  have  been  contributing  the  five  millions  of  dol- 
lars that  have  resulted  in  transforming  the  Sandwich 
Islanders  into  a Christian  people,  instead  of  giving 
on  an  average  less  than  fifty  cents  a year  for  the 
conversion  of  the  world,  given  individually  to  the 
extent  of  real  self-denial,  there  would  have  been 
ample  means  to  send  the  written  and  the  preached 
word  to  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth.  The  church, 
then,  has  money  enough,  and  men  enough ; and  it 
is  for  want  of  neither  of  these  that  her  work  is  not 
accomplished. 

3.  Nor  is  it  to  be  ascribed  to  the  mere  sovereignty 
of  God. 

That  God  is  a sovereign,  is  no  more  to  be  ques- 
tioned than  that  he  exists.  Nor  is  it  to  be  denied 
that  it  accords  with  his  sovereign  pleasure  that  the 
moral  and  religious  condition  of  the  world  should 
be  precisely  what  it  is.  And  so,  too,  it  accorded 
with  his  sovereign  pleasure  that  Pharaoh  should 
refuse  to  let  the  children  of  Israel  go  when  com- 
manded, and  that  the  Jews  should  crucify  the  Mes- 
siah. But  who  would  consider  it  a proper  answer 
to  the  inquiry,  why  Pharaoh  refused  to  let  the 
children  of  Israel  depart,  or  why  the  Jews  put  to 
death  the  Lord  of  glory,  merely  to  be  told  that  such 


13 


conduct  was  in  accordance  with  the  eternal  and 
sovereign  purpose  of  God.  No  more  appropriate 
would  such  an  answer  be  to  our  present  inquiry. 
It  would  indeed  be  a sufficient  answer,  were  the 
evangelization  of  the  world  solely  and  exclusively 
God’s  work,  involving  human  instrumentality  and 
responsibility  as  little  as  the  creation  of  a world. 
But  since  God  has  associated  man  with  him  in  this 
enterprise,  and  made  its  success  to  depend  upon 
appropriate  human  efforts,  it  has  a human  as  well 
as  a divine  side.  And  though,  viewing  it  in  the 
one  aspect,  it  were  enough  to  say,  in  answer  to  the 
inquiry  why  it  is  not  accomplished,  “ Even  so, 
Father,  for  so  it  seemeth  good  in  thy  sight,”  yet, 
viewing  it  in  its  other  aspect,  as  a work  for 
which  man  is  responsible,  to  make  such  an  answer 
to  the  inquiry  would  be  as  unscriptural  and  impious, 
as  for  Jonah  to  have  answered  the  question  why  he 
fled  to  Tarshish,  or  for  Ananias  to  have  replied  to 
the  inquiry  of  Peter  why  he  lied  to  the  Holy  Ghost, 
by  pleading  that  such  conduct  was  in  accordance 
with  God’s  sovereign  pleasure.  However  it  may 
accord  with  the  inscrutable  and  eternal  purpose  of 
Him  “who  worketh  all  things  after  the  counsel  of 
his  own  will,”  that  so  large  a portion  of  the  earth 
should  now  be  unevangelized,  it  does  not  accord 
with  his  express  commands.  And  his  will,  as  made 
known  by  his  commands,  and  not  his  secret  purpose, 
is  our  rule  of  duty.  And  as  he  has,  by  positive 
injunction,  placed  the  church  under  obligations  to 
evangelize  the  world,  then  it  is  in  violation  of  known 
obligations  that  the  world  is  not  evangelized  ; and 
this  neglect  of  duty  is  no  more  to  be  ascribed  to  the 


14 


mere  sovereignty  of  God,  than  is  any  other  sin  of 
the  church ; and  nothing  but  the  rankest  Antino- 
mianism  could  be  satisfied  with  such  an  answer  to 
the  inquiry  under  consideration. 

The  question  still  returns,  Why  is  so  large  a por- 
tion of  the  earth  unevangelized  ? Since  the  work 
of  its  entire  evangelization  is  not  impracticable ; 
since  the  church  has  had  adequate  means  to  accom- 
plish it ; and  since  the  acknowledged  fact  of  God’s 
sovereignty  furnishes  no  just  reason  for  its  being 
delayed, — why  has  it  not  been  accomplished  ? I 
answer,  because  the  church  has  voluntarily  and 
criminally  neglected  to  use  the  means  given  her  by 
God  for  its  accomplishment.  In  explanation  and 
proof  of  this,  I observe, 

1.  In  the  first  place,  that  the  church  for  ages 
wholly  lost  sight  of  the  true  idea  of  her  mission,  and 
that  a majority  of  her  members  as  yet  but  partially 
apprehend  it. 

One  great  design  of  Christ  in  instituting  a church, 
was,  unquestionably,  to  provide  for  the  publication 
of  his  gospel  to  those  for  whom  he  died,  and  for 
placing  the  blessings  of  salvation  in  the  reach  of  all 
for  whom  they  were  purchased.  Consequently  he 
designed  the  church  for  a mission  as  comprehensive 
as  his  own,  having  the  same  sphere  and  objects  that 
were  embraced  in  his  mission  to  our  world.  But 
did  Christ  contemplate  in  his  mission  a part  only,  or 
the  whole  of  mankind  ? If  we  determine  the  sphere 
of  his  mission  by  the  extent  of  the  ruin  which  he 
came  to  repair,  we  shall  not  limit  it,  for  it  was  not 
a province , but  “ the  whole  world  ” that  lay  “ in 
wickedness.”  If  we  look  at  the  design  of  his  com- 


15 


ing,  as  disclosed  by  promises  and  predictions,  we 
shall  see  that  it  had  a relation  as  wide  asihe  race  : 
“ In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be 
blessed.”  Our  text  teaches  that  Christ  was  sent 
to  provide  salvation  for  the  whole  human  family, 
without  distinction  of  name  or  nation.  “ For  God 
so  loved  the  ivorld , that  he  gave  his  only-begotten 
Son,  that  vjhosoever  beheveth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.”  And  why  should 
Christ  be  called  “ the  Saviour  of  the  world”  “ the 
propitiation  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world;”  and 
wrhy  should  an  unlimited  offer  of  salvation  be  made 
through  him  to  the  world,  unless  all  mankind  were 
contemplated  in  his  mission  ? And  the  church 
being  organized  to  carry  out  the  designs  of  Christ’s 
mission,  her  mission  is  nothing  less  than  to  publish 
salvation  to  all  for  whom  he  died. 

And  this  accords  with  the  instructions  of  our 
Saviour.  “ The  field,”  says  he,  “ is  the  world.” 
And,  when  commissioning  his  disciples,  he  says, 
“ Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel 
to  every  creature.”  He  designates  no  particular 
province  or  district  as  the  sphere  of  their  mission, 
but  bids  them  go  up  and  down  the  wide  world 
which  he  had  died  to  redeem,  and  proclaim  to  all 
who  dwell  upon  it  the  messages  of  redeeming  love. 
Christ  himself  here  teaches  what  is  the  true  mission 
of  the  church.  It  is  to  evangelize  the  world  — the 
whole  world. 

And  that  he  designed  this  to  be  her  mission  in 
all  coming  time,  appears  from  the  promise  annexed 
to  the  command  : “ And  lo,  I am  with  you  alway, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.”  Whatever  obli- 


16 


gations  this  command  imposed  upon  the  first  Chris- 
tians, it  imposes  upon  us.  Christianity  is  the  same 
now,  in  its  principles  and  designs,  that  it  was  then ; 
and  the  world  now  41  lieth  in  wickedness  ” as  it  did 
then  : hence  there  exist  now  the  same  reasons  for 
its  evangelization,  as  when  Christ  commissioned  his 
disciples  to  teach  all  nations.  The  obligations  of 
the  church  to  evangelize  the  nations,  grow  out  of  her 
relations  to  Christ  and  to  the  world,, and  are  perma- 
nent. And  they  are  as  imperative  on  every  member 
of  the  church,  as  are  his  obligations  to  love  his 
brethren,  to  pray  to  God,  or  to  obey  any  other 
command.  I do  not  mean  that  every  Christian  is 
bound  actually  to  go  on  a mission  to  the  heathen ; 
but  that  he  is  under  solemn  obligation  either  to  go 
himself,  or  sustain,  to  the  extent  of  his  ability,  by 
his  contributions  and  prayers,  those  who  go  in  his 
stead. 

The  disciples  of  Christ  understood  and  acted 
upon  this  as  the  true  idea  of  their  mission.  They 
regarded  themselves  as  debtors  both  to  the  Greeks 
and  to  the  barbarians,  both  to  the  wise,  and  to  the 
unwise,  and  as  bound  as  much  as  in  them  was,  to 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature.  They  did  not 
regard  their  field  as  circumscribed  by  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem,  nor  as  contained  within  the  boundaries 
of  Judea  or  Samaria,  but  as  extending  to  the  44  ut- 
termost parts  of  the  earth,5’  44  and  they  took  up  the 
standard  of  the  cross  and  bore  it  in  triumph  round 
the  globe.” 

But  not  long  after  the  primitive  era,  the  church, 
corrupted  by  worldly  alliances,  lost  sight  of  her  mis- 
sion, forgot  her  obligations  to  the  heathen,  and 


17 


virtually  expunged  from  the  record  of  authoritative 
precepts  the  Saviour’s  last  command.  However 
there  may  have  been  individuals  who  felt  themselves 
bound  by  it,  the  church  as  a body  felt  no  pressure  of 
obligation  to  evangelize  the  world,  and  for  centuries 
slept  over  her  great  concern.  And  instead  of  look- 
ing for  her  enlargement  during  this  period  of  her 
inactivity,  we  should  rather  wonder  that  she  did  not 
become  extinct. 

Scarcely  half  a century  has  elapsed  since  she 
began  to  awake  from  this  long  sleep.  And  the 
partial  recovery  of  the  lost  idea  of  her  mission,  has 
aroused  all  her  branches  to  systematized  efforts  for 
the  spread  of  the  gospel,  whose  results,  as  seen  in 
the  evangelized  islands  of  the  Pacific  ; in  the  Chris- 
tian schools  and  churches  that  in  India,  and  other 
idolatrous  countries,  have  sprung  up  by  the  side  of 
heathen  temples ; and  in  the  dawning  of  Christianity 
upon  many  portions  of  the  benighted  earth,  indicate 
the  state  in  which  the  world  would  have  been,  had 
the  church  never  fallen  into  that  sleep  ; or  had  she, 
at  the  commencement  of  the  present  century, 
generally  and  fully  awaked  to  the  true  end  of  her 
existence,  and  prosecuted  as  her  one  great  business, 
and  with  the  combined  strength  of  all  her  members, 
the  enterprise  of  the  world’s  evangelization.  For  at 
no  time  during  this  period  has  the  church  been  pos- 
sessed with  the  one  great  idea  of  her  mission.  At 
no  time  have  all  her  members  felt  themselves  bound 
by  the  Saviour’s  last  command  to  do  individually, 
according  to  their  opportunity  and  ability,  the  work 
of  a missionary.  Is  it  probable  that  all,  or  even  a 
majority  of  the  members  of  any  church  connected 

3 


18 


with  this  Missionary  Association,  regard  themselves 
as  acting  under  a commission  that  covers  the  entire 
world,  and  as  bound  to  hold  themselves  ready  to  go 
into  whatsoever  part  of  it  the  providence  of  God 
shall  send  them  ; — that  they  have  ever  so  regarded 
the  world  as  their  field,  as  seriously  to  consider  the 
relative  claims  of  every  portion  of  it  upon  their  ser- 
vice ; and  that  the  reason  why  they  are  now  laboring 
and  praying  in  New’  England,  rather  than  toiling  in 
India  or  Africa,  is  because,  after  prayerful  delibera- 
tion, they  became  convinced,  that  this  portion  of  the 
vineyard  had  the  strongest  claim  upon  them,  and 
were  persuaded  that  they  could  do  more  for  the 
world’s  evangelization  by  remaining  here,  than  by 
going  any  where  else  ? Is  it  uncharitable  to  pre- 
sume, that  were  a just  sense  of  the  obligations  of 
Christians  to  the  heathen,  at  once  to  get  possession 
of  all  the  members  of  these  churches,  very  many  of 
them  would  be  possessed  with  an  idea  no  less  novel 
than  important  ? 

Thus  the  church  has  not  realized  the  great  end 
for  which  she  exists.  And  this  is  one  reason  why 
she  has  done  so  little  to  accomplish  it. 

2.  Another  reason  is  found  in  her  want  of  earnest 
piety. 

While  she  has  recognized  to  a considerable  extent, 
theoretically , her  obligations,  and  practically , so  far 
as  to  form  numerous  and  splendid  schemes  of  Chris- 
tian exertion,  she  has  not  possessed  enough  of  the 
true  missionary  spirit  to  carry  out  her  well-devised 
plans.  The  machinery  of  her  missionary  enterprise 
has  moved  feebly,  and  acccomplished  but  little  in 
comparison  with  what  it  is  capable  of,  were  it 


19 


efficiently  worked,  for  want  of  propelling  power — 
the  power  that  consists  in  earliest  piety,  such  piety 
as  called  forth  the  energies  of  the  primitive  Chris- 
tians. 

(a)  The  great  controlling  element  of  their  piety 
was  love  to  Christ . Their  lively  apprehension  of  his 
transcendent  excellence,  and  their  deep  sense  of 
personal  obligation  to  him,  for  the  blessings  of  his 
grace,  begat  within  them  a love  and  devotion  to 
him,  that  absorbed  all  regard  for  worldly  honor  or 
gain,  and  lifted  them  above  all  considerations  of 
difficulty  and  danger,  and  led  them  to  regard  not 
life  itself  as  too  great  a sacrifice  to  make  for  the 
honor  of  their  Master.  And  nothing  but  the  con- 
straining influence  of  such  love  will  ever  lead  men 
to  labor  faithfully,  patiently  and  efficiently  for 
Christ.  But  such  love  has  not  burned  in  the  hearts 
of  all,  in  every  age,  who  have  named  the  name  of 
Christ.  It  is  not  now  the  absorbing  affection,  and 
the  controlling  principle  of  action  in  all  believers. 
Christ  is  loved  indeed,  by  all  his  true  followers ; but 
brethren,  do  we  all , do  any  of  us  love  him  as  Paul 
loved  him  ? 

(b)  Love  for  souls  was  another  element  of 
their  piety.  They  viewed  the  soul  as  ruined  by 
sin,  and  destined  to  a miserable  eternity,  unless 
saved  by  the  grace  of  the  gospel.  And  they  longed 
for  its  salvation.  So  deep  was  their  solicitude  for 
the  spiritual  state  of  man,  that  they  warned  them 
night  and  day,  with  tears.  What  evidence  have 
Christians  of  later  times  generally  given  of  such  a 
passion  for  souls  ? How  deeply  are  our  sympathies 
wrought  upon,  as  we  contemplate  the  awful  doom 


20 


to  which  the  souls  of  the  heathen  are  passing  by 
twenty  millions  a year  ? 

(c)  The  piety  of  the  primitive  Christians  was 
also  characterized  by  a spirit  of  self-denial  and  self- 
sacrifice.  Nothing  was  too  dear  for  them  to  give 
up  for  Christ.  For  his  sake  they  took  joyfully  the 
spoiling  of  their  goods  ; encountered  perils  by  land, 
and  by  sea;  endured  weariness  and  painfulness, 
watchings  and  fastings,  hunger  and  thirst,  cold  and 
nakedness,  and  “ counted  not  even  their  lives  dear 
unto  themselves.”  And  they  gloried  in  tribula- 
tion, and  rejoiced  that  they  were  counted  worthy  to 
suffer  for  the  name  of  Christ.  Does  this  spirit 
characterize  the  piety  of  modern  Christians  ? Are 
they  generally  willing  to  endure  for  Christ,  if  need 
be,  poverty  and  reproach,  persecution  and  death  ? 
Few  indeed  are  now  required  to  serve  him  at  such 
cost.  Yet  obligations  are  resting  upon  all  which 
cannot  be  discharged  without  some  sacrifice.  But 
what  sacrifice  are  they  actually  making  for  the  cause 
of  Christ  ? What  privations  do  they  endure,  to 
what  hardships  submit,  that  the  heathen  may  be 
saved  ? They  give,  on  an  average,  less  than  fifty 
cents  a year.  Is  that  making  a sacrifice  ? Does  it 
subject  them  to  suffering  ? No,  nor  to  inconven- 
ience. And  yet  that  is  the  sacrifice , that  the  great 
mass  of  American  Christians  make  for  the  spread  of 
the  gospel ! O,  how  do  Christians  in  our  day, 
dwelling  in  ceiled  houses,  enjoying  the  comforts  and 
luxuries  of  wealth,  and  giving  of  their  abundance 
a few  cents,  or  at  the  most  a few  dollars,  in  fulfill- 
ment of  the  Saviour’s  last  command ; — how  do  such 
Christians  compare  with  those  who,  in  obeying  the 


21 


same  command,  had  “ trial  of  cruel  mockings  and 
scourgings ; yea,  moreover,  of  bonds  and  imprison- 
ment ; who  were  stoned,  who  were  sawn  asunder, 
were  tempted,  were  slain  with  the  sword  ; who 
wandered  about  in  sheep-skins  and  goat-skins, 
being  destitute,  afflicted,  tormented?55 

(d)  Another  element  of  the  piety  of  these  self- 
denying  men,  was  a deep  sense  of  dependence  on 
God.  They  believed  that  of  themselves  they  could 
do  nothing,  and  that  all  their  sufficiency  was  of 
God  ; — that  whoever  planted,  and  whoever  watered, 
God  must  give  the  increase.  And  they  accordingly 
sought,  in  frequent  and  earnest  prayer,  the  divine 
blessing  on  their  labors.  Do  Christians  now  pos- 
sess this  same  spirit  of  dependence  in  such  a degree 
as  to  lead  them  to  pray  daily  for  the  blessing  of 
God  on  missionary  efforts  ? What  does  their  attend- 
ance upon  the  monthly  concert  indicate  ? 

In  these  and  other  elements  of  primitive  piety, 
the  modern  church  is  greatly  deficient.  And  this  is 
one  reason  why  she  has  no  better  discharged  her 
obligations  to  the  heathen. 

Thus,  while  the  church  has  had  ample  means  to 
evangelize  the  world,  she  has  neglected  to  employ 
them,  partly  for  want  of  a just  idea  of  her  mission, 
and  partly  for  want  of  the  spirit  requisite  to  accom- 
plish such  a mission.  Then  is  it  not  the  fault  of 
the  church,  that  the  world  is  not  evangelized  ? 
And  as  she  is  responsible  for  the  consequences  of 
her  neglect,  who  can  estimate  the  amount  of  guilt 
she  has  contracted,  while  the  millions  she  might 
have  enlightened,  have  been  going  down  to  their 
graves  in  all  the  darkness  of  heathenism. 

3* 


22 


Far  be  it  from  me  to  disparage  what  has  been 
done,  and  is  now  doing  for  the  conversion  of  the 
world.  The  missionary  enterprise  is  an  honor  to 
the  church,  and  is  the  glory  of  our  age.  And  the 
results  already  attained  are  such  as  to  command  the 
admiration  of  the  world.  But  if  so  much  has  been 
accomplished,  without  any  sacrifice,  or  even  incon- 
venience, on  the  part  of  Christians  generally,  what 
might  we  not  have  beheld  to-day,  had  all  the 
resources  of  the  church  been  employed  in  this 
enterprise  ? 

And  now,  what  is  wanting  for  the  speedy  evan- 
gelization of  the  world,  but  for  the  church  to  take 
hold  of  the  work  with  all  her  strength  ; and  carry 
it  forward  with  all  the  means  at  her  command — 
amply  sufficient  with  God’s  blessing  for  its  accom- 
plishment. 

And  for  this,  it  is  necessary  that  Christians  more 
generally  awake  to  the  true  idea  of  their  mission. 
They  should  feel  that  their  business  here,  is  not  to 
acquire  wealth  or  honor,  nor  live  in  luxury  and  in- 
dolence, but  to  labor  for  the  conversion  of  the  world. 
Viewing  the  world  as  their  field,  they  should  regard 
themselves  as  placed  under  imperative  obligations, 
by  the  Saviour’s  last  command  as  well  as  by  every 
principle  of  their  religion,  to  labor  for  its  entire 
subjugation  to  Christ. 

And  they  should  cherish  a deep  sense  of  the 
transcendent  importance  of  their  mission.  They 
should  look  upon  the  world  in  all  the  magnitude  and 
extent  of  its  ruins  ; contemplate  its  heathen  millions 
in  the  light  of  God’s  word,  as  under  sentence  of 
eternal  death  and  hastening  to  receive  their  doom, 


23 


and  jet  as  capable  of  being  saved  through  the  grace 
of  Christ ; and  realize  that  their  mission  is  nothing 
less  than  to  make  known  to  them  the  provisions  of 
eternal  love,  to  save  them  from  impending  wrath, 
and  raise  them  to  heaven’s  eternal  glory  and  felicity  ; 
— that  their  mission  partakes  of  the  importance  and 
grandeur  of  Christ’s  mission  to  our  world. 

And  they  should  also  possess,  in  full  measure, 
the  earnest  piety  which  characterized  the  primitive 
Christians.  Their  hearts  should  burn  with  love 
to  Christ.  They  should  have  deep  sympathy  for 
man,  degraded,  ruined  man.  And  under  the  con- 
straining influence  of  these  heaven-born  affections, 
they  should  be  willing  to  sacrifice  life,  if  need  be, 
for  the  glory  of  Christ,  and  the  salvation  of  man. 
They  should  “ elevate  their  thoughts  and  purposes 
above  the  current  of  this  world’s  influences,  and 
associate  them  with  the  great  objects  of  the  medi- 
atorial reign  ; and  with  the  scenes  and  destinies  of 
eternity,  in  which  that  reign  will  be  consummated.” 
And  withal,  they  should  have  a strength  of  faith 
that  will  yield  to  no  discouragement,  and  can  be 
shaken  by  no  obstacles  ; — such  an  assurance  of  the 
final  triumph  of  the  Redeemer’s  kingdom,  that  they 
will  no  more  admit  the  possibility  of  failure,  than 
they  will  question  the  veracity  of  God. 

Let  the  church,  in  all  her  branches,  and  in  all 
her  members,  apprehend  her  true  mission,  and  be 
pervaded  by  a piety  like  this,  and  she  will  cheerfully 
consecrate  to  God,  in  the  work  of  man’s  salvation, 
her  talents  and  learning,  her  wealth  and  influence. 
Her  sons,  nurtured  in  her  bosom  into  sympathy  with 
Christ,  will  stand  ready  by  hundreds  and  by  thou- 


24 


sands,  to  forsake  all  for  his  name’s  sake,  and  go  to 
the  ends  of  the  earth,  to  make  known  to  perishing 
men  the  tidings  of  salvation.  Her  silver  and  her 
gold  will  be  cheerfully,  and  without  solicitation, 
cast  into  the  treasury  of  the  Lord.  She  will  lift  to 
heaven,  unitedly  and  unceasingly,  the  voice  of  her 
supplications,  for  the  blessing  of  God  upon  her 
instrumentalities.  Quickened  by  such  piety,  she 
will  feel  the  pulsations  of  a new  life  ; and  starting 
from  her  sluggish  repose,  she  will  move  forward 
with  irresistible  energy  and  might,  to  the  accom- 
plishment of  her  glorious  mission.  And  then  will 
she  “ look  forth  as  the  morning,  fair  as  the  moon, 
clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an  army  with  ban- 
ners.” Then  will  the  triumphs  of  the  cross  be  mul- 
tiplied. Then  will  the  standard  of  the  gospel  be 
raised  in  every  land,  and  the  announcement  of  God’s 
love  to  the  world  be  made  to  all  that  dwell  upon  the 
earth. 

“ Then  shall  mankind  no  more  in  darkness  mourn  ; 

Then  happy  nations  in  a day  be  born  ; 

From  east  to  west  God’s  glorious  Name  be  one, 

And  one  pure  worship  hail  th’  eternal  Son : 

Remotest  realms  one  spotless  faith  unite, 

And  o’er  all  regions  beam  the  gospel’s  light.” 

And  then  shall  the  world  that  now  “ lieth  in  wick- 
edness,” “ be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  the  glory 
of  the  Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea.”  And  we 
shall  be  blessed  in  proportion  as  our  labors  and 
charities  and  prayers  contribute  to  the  ushering  in 
of  this  day  of  millennial  glory. 


ANNUAL  MEETING. 


The  Thirty-first  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Palestine 
Missionary  Society,  was  held  at  Randolph,  June  18, 
1851. 

The  public  services  commenced  at  11  o’clock,  A.  M., 
when  a sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  James  P.  Terry  ; 
the  Treasurer’s  report  presented,  with  the  Auditor’s  cer- 
tificate ; and  addresses  offered  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Worcester 
and  Walker,  as  a deputation  from  the  Parent  Society. 

Voted , That  the  Treasurer’s  report  be  accepted. 

Voted , That  the  thanks  of  this  Society  be  presented  to 
Rev.  Mr.  Terry,  for  his  sermon,  and  that  a copy  of  it  be 
requested  for  publication. 

Voted , That  the  thanks  of  this  Society  be  presented  to 
Rev.  Messrs.  Worcester  and  Walker,  for  their  aid  on  this 
occasion  ; to  the  First  Church  and  Society  in  Randolph, 
for  their  hospitality  ; and  to  the  choir  of  singers,  for  their 
performances. 


26 


The  following  officers  were  chosen  for  the  current 
year  : 


Gen.  BENJAMIN  KING,  President. 


Mr.  JOSIAH  W.  KINGMAN,  ) 
Dea.  JONATHAN  NEWCOMB,  $ 


Vice  Presidents. 


Rev.  JONAS  PERKINS,  Secretary. 


EBENEZER  ALDEN,  M.  D.,  Treasurer. 
SILAS  PAINE,  Esq.,  Auditor. 


//  ' ::-T  • P- 

n~n*^  £a^4Ew 

,--  XV  - *3-  •**••*  «Nv«. 

< / •«-  / /*  ••  - * 


/ O 

J*. 


TREASURER’S  REPORT 


15; 


Receipts  from  June  18,  1850,  to  June  18,  1851. 

Ahington , First  Parish,  legacy,  Edward  Cobb, 

“ “ Gent.  72,92  ; La.  45,70  ; m.  c.  31,38  ; 


“ East  Parish,  Gent.  33  ; La.  22,62  ; 

Braintree , First  Parish,  Ladies’  miss.  so.  50,02 ; m.  c.  65 ; 

R.  S.  S.  15 ; 

“ South  Parish,  Juv.  so.  15  ; Gent,  and  La.  41 ; 
Braintree  and  Weymouth , Union  so.  55,53  ; m.  c.  34,61 ; 
Cohasset,  D.  S.  Sutton, 

East  Bridgewater , Trin.  so.  D.  W.  10  ; m.  c 
East  and  West  Bridgewater , Un.  so.  m.  c. 

Hanover , m.  c. 

N'orth  Bridgewater , Two  Friends, 

“ “ First  Parish,  Gent,  and  La. 

“ “ South  Parish,  Gent,  and  La.  . 

“ “ Porter  Evan.  so.  Gent,  and  La.  153,58 ; 

m.  c.  55  ; . 

Randolph , First  Parish,  Gent.  94,69  ; La.  35,28 ; m.  c.  83,23  ; 
“ East  Parish,  Gent.  48,27  ; La.  62 ; m.  c.  24,85 ; 
Young  La.  14,48  ; Juv.  miss.  so.  5,31 ; 

Scituate , JVorth , Gent,  and  La 

Weymouth , North  Parish,  Gent,  and  La.  .... 

“ South  Parish,  Gent,  and  La.  62,76  ; m.  c.  26,25 ; 

Rev.  J.  P.  T.  2 ; 

“ Union  ch.  and  so.  m.  c. 


$750  00 
150  00 
3 00 

55  62 

130  02 

56  00 
90  14 
10  00 
25  00 
14  43 
20  00 
40  00 
22  00 
52  00 

208  58 
213  20 


3 6 


s.  .r 


6 


154  91 
21  75 
88  62 


7 5 


91  01 
25  00 


$2,221  28 

EBENEZER  ALDEN,  Treasurer. 

I have  examined  the  accounts  of  the  Treasurer  of  the  Palestine  Missionary  So- 
ciety for  the  past  year,  and  find  them  rightly  cast  and  properly  vouched. 

SILAS  PAINE,  Auditor. 

Randolph,  June  18,  1851. 


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